tfcis 



Conf Pam 12mo #619 

DTTlt,77TbB 



No. 8. 



THE SENTINEL. 



BY A LADY AT A MILITARY POST. 



True religion is certainly calculated to inspire men with 
courage, and is not unbecoming in a soldier. Why, then, 
should it be imagined that the breastplate he wears neces- 
sarily shields him from all serious impressions, or that the 
fact of being a soldier should cause .him to be profane, 
licentious, and to encase himself in the panoply of infidel- 
ity? 

• I would appeal to the soldier, -and ask, Are you not an 
immortal being; and have you not an immortal soul ? And 
if vicious principles have taken possession of that soul, 
and you suddenly lose your life before your sins are for- 
given, will you not carry them with you into eternity ? 

Soldier, your business is to die. Eemember your expo- 
sed situation, and your continual liability to death at any 
period — but especially in actual service ; you may be cut 
oif in a moment of time — your very calling is the place of 
danger ; you must face the cannon's moufh, and stand bq-'' 
fore a volly of fire. How necessary, then, for you to be 
prepared ; and by a devotion to God, an enlistment into 

"P72 U/> 



tlie army of the Lord Jesus, the Captain of salvation, fur- 
nished with an armor that will make you secure under any 
event. 

A circumstance occurred a few years ago at one of our 
remote military posts, which may be recollected by some 
soldier whose eye may rest on this paper. 

One morning, as usual, the guard appeared on parade, 
and after undergoing the necessary forms attendant upon 
such a ceremony, were marching to their proper stations, 
and in turn were placed upon the posts assigned them as 
sentinels. Before the expiration of their tour of duty, the 
heavens gathered blackness, the win^ arose, and the calm 
surface of the neighboring beautiful lake was in commo- 
tion. 

The poor Indian might be seen in his light canoe, ur- 
ging his frail bark to escape the impending storm. He 
might indeed, find a shelter in the gloom of the forest , 
but not so the sentinel — his is an important station — ma- 
ny hardships are his lot, and he must encounter them all ; 
he must remain stnad/mt at liii iioU ; he must withstand 
summer's heat and winter';! blast, hail and tempest, the 
appalling thunderbolt^' and i/no lightning's vivid flash. 

In such a perilous and trying situation was placed 

at the period to which I allude. The thunder rolled heav- 
ily over his head, accompanied by chains of ^ed lightning; 
peal followed peal, and flash succeedod flash, yet still, he 
stood apparently undaunted an. 1 unscathed. Whether his 
confidence w.i-^ ni-i,^!^rl in ihe protecting power oi' ITimiuho 
holch thr r/rcf / in his hand, and shakes and lights 

the vault of iic<t\ ^^ when he pleases, or whether he looked 
on and felt indifferent to the awi'iil .-cene around him, I 
am not able to say; buh a moment came, when the electric 
fluid touched the point of hi:; ])avonet, melted the harden- 
<:d metal, ran down one pada of his body, tearing and bur- 



niny his ooat, and rending one shoe from oflF his foot, at 
the same time striking him to the earth, a seemingly life- 
less corpse. 

Terror and consternation took possession of the minds 
of those who were witnesses of the scene. The soldier was 
conveyed to the hospital, where the surgeon of the post, a 
skillful and efl&cient man in his profession, after a length 
of time employed in faithful and persevering eiforts, suc- 
ceeded in restoring suspended animation. 

With what interest and excited feelings did his com- 
rades gather around him at the time, lamenting his sup- 
posed sudden exit from a world of joy and hope, to appear 
before the great tribunal of the almighty Judge of quick 
and dead. Some, perhaps, permitted the question to arise, 
" Was he prepared V^ Others feared that he was cut off 
without one ray of hope for happiness beyond the grave. 
But how were their hearts relieved, when the first symptom 
of returning life was visible in his beating pulse and throb- 
bing heart. Then was the time when they maij have felt 
that the mercy of God was great, beyond their expectation, 
and adored him for his kindness in sparing a fellow-being, 
who, but for the skill imparted to his valuable physician, 
would, perhaps, never^ again have opened his eyes upon 
this fair world, nor lived a n^onument of the power and 
goodness of God. 

When struck by the lightning of heaven, how happy 
for this sentinel, if he was prepared to die ! — if nof^ and 
if sensible of his apparent ne:i,rness to another world, what 
would he have given in exchange for the assurance of the 
salvation of his soul. 

Happy indeed is the soldier who is disposed to raise his 
thoughts to things eternal, and who has declared himself 
to be on the Lord's side. God has promised to preserve 
such as the apple of his eye, and to protect them as within 
the hollow of his hand. 



Soldier, come, then, and enlist under the banner of the 
Redeemer; engage in his service, and contend for the faith 
once delivered to the saints — separate yourself, and come 
out from the ranks of the enemy of Grod and of your soul, 
and peculiar blessings shall be yours. 

Christian soldier, you have important duties to fulfil, a 
charge to keep, a heart to guard, and it becomes you, there- 
fore, to be on the alert — declension in duty will produce 
apathy of conscience, and a want of care and watchfulness 
will extinguish the life of religion in the soul. 

Be strong, therefore, and of good courage ; strenuously 
maintain the honor of your King and Saviour; watch con-< 
tinually, pray without ceasing, and nevtr desert the faith 
by which you stand, and by which you are to overcome the 
world aad all its temptations, nor lay aside the armor by 
which you are to gain the victory over all your spiritual 
foes. Let a constant and lively exercise of faith in the 
Hsdeemer excite in you a disposition to be on jomx guard, 
for the end of faith is the salvation of the soul. 

Your warfare will soon be accomplished — and having 
•• fought the good fight, and kept the faith, '^ you shall be 
permitted to lay aside the tabernacle of clay, and be con- 
ducted to regions of infinite refreshment, where awaits you 
a crown of unfading glory and immortality. 



" Eeligion is the chief concern 

Of mortals here below ; 
May I its great importance learn. 

Its sovereign virtue know.^' 

" Let deep repentaace, faith and love, 

Be joined with godly fear ; 
And all ray conversation })rove 

My heart to be sincere. 



Hbllinger Corp. 
pH 8.5 



